{"product_id":"p6061","title":"Bizen small tea bowl","description":"This Bizen small tea bowl (kohuku chawan) is the work of Takashi Soga, who challenges the beauty of antiquity by recreating the same environment in which Old Bizen (Ko-Bizen) was fired.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nTo replicate the kiln-firing style of the Old Bizen era, the artist avoids the use of firebricks—which did not exist at the time—and fires his works in a kiln made entirely of earth, where modern firing conventions do not apply.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBecause the earth-only kiln itself acts as a single massive piece of pottery, it produces an exquisite \"texture of earth\" (tsuchiaji) that transcends modern aesthetics and approaches the quality of Old Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn Soga-sensei’s kiln, the earth structure itself undergoes transformation with every firing, a characteristic that ensures the finished pieces are in a state of constant evolution. This particular work showcases the refined, subdued \"hidasuki\" (fire-cord) markings and the rich, viscous tsuchiaji that are hallmarks of his style.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nUnlike the stark contrast between the body and the hidasuki often seen in modern Bizen ware, this piece features a deeply understated aesthetic, as if the hidasuki and the earthen surface have become one—a quality found casually in ordinary antique Bizen works.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFurthermore, beyond the hidasuki itself, the wrapped cords have transformed into \"itogoma\" (thread-like sesame markings) in various places, and have blended with iron components seeping from the clay to create an effect resembling amber glaze.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWhile perfect as a small tea bowl for matcha, it can also be used as a shochu cup.\n\nSigned paulownia box to follow (please note that shipment will take some time).\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 9.2cm x 9.1cm x Height 8.3cm\n\nTakashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009, and in 2012, he built an earth-only kiln without firebricks in Kuguï, Bizen City.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe became independent and began his career as a ceramic artist in 2013.","brand":"曽我 尭","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618027196513,"sku":"6061","price":27500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/6061.jpg?v=1790231250","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p6061","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}